January 06, 2011

Master Prithvi Nath Garg was born at Jagadhri ( in present day Haryana ) on 15th December 1899. He was the son of Lala Ghasitu Mal Ji who had great influence in the town and around .

In the year 1917 a terrible pneumonic plague broke out at Jagadhri. . Prithvi Nath was barely 18 at that time . This epidemic was so infectious in its fury that even four men were not forthcoming to carry a bier to the cremation or burial ground .It was then that the instinct of National service even at the great risk of one own life ( as Plague was a very contagious disease ) got possession of Master Prithvi Nath .He organised companions of his age into a sort of Volunteers ' Corps to carry the dead to final resting places.

When the plague died down, it was Master Prithvi Nath who changed the Volunteer Corps into Sewa Samiti , the members of which were to give help to the needy whenever and where ever required . He him self became their guide and Source of Inspiration .

Now , Master Ji chose for himself the avocation of a teacher in the local municipal Board school , where his work for five or six year which earned him a place in the heart of his pupils who later remembered him with pride and affection .

While a teacher, Master Prithvi Nath Ji attended the session of the Indian National Congress held in 1925 at Kanpur .The proceedings of the Session had so much affect on him that on his return to his home town of Jagadhri from Kanpur that he gave up teaching and instead plunged himself completely into the Struggle for National Liberation of his Motherland , without official restraints.

The first thing done by Master ji was to transform the local Sewa Samiti founded by him earlier into the Jagadhri branch of the Indian National Congress .He then held several meetings and delivered lectures after lectures to popularise the National Freedom Movement .

Now he became the target of C.I.D of the British Police , which began to report his all activities to British Indian Government.Nothing daunted Master Ji and continued his mission and became an open rebel , earning the name of the JAGADHRI GANDHI.

In December 1929, the historic Session of the Indian National Congress was held at Lahore .Master Prithvi Nath went there as the head of a National Volunteer Corps.

On his return he worked in 1930 in the Non Cooperation Movement at Jagadhari with his usual zeal.

When the British Government declared the Indian National Congress as an unlawful body,Master Prithvi Nath was arrested under Article 17(B) in December,1930, and sentenced to rigorous imprisonment as C.Class prisoner. He put up quietly with all hardship of jail life at the Ambala Central jail ,which reduced his weight considerably and shattered his health badly. When Gandhi -Irwin pact was concluded he was released like other political prisoners on 7th m March 1931.

Then Master Ji devoted his attention to the constructive ( " Tamiri " ) programme of the Congress plying the spinning wheel ( " Charkha " ) every day and wearing hand-spun clothes .But the passion for political service did not leave him in spite of his ruined health
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The British Goverment always had a horror of spread of Indian National Congress Movement in rural areas .In 1942 Master Ji betook himself to Mustafabad village , near Jagadhri on the political mission of spreading Gandhi Ji 's message .At Mustafabad Master Ji was arrested even though he had not offered Satyagraha and was sentenced to jail , and he was transferred to the Borstal Jail , Lahore .

After release from the Lahore Jail , Master Ji resorted to Satyagraha at the Chowk Bazar Jagadhari and offered him self for arrest. The British Govt sent him to Sialkot Jail in the first instance and later transferred him to Ferozepur jail. It is to be noted that although the Trial Magistrate had given Master Ji B class in view of his delicate health ,but Master Ji refused to accept any concession on any ground and got the Jail class changed to C .

These three jail yatras of Master ji shattered his health so much so that he practically became unfit to work and earn for family and the nation .

The last four year of his life were most challenging. .Overworking for his Nation work and three jail courtings made him neglect his health and financial position . Master Ji lost his eye sight and developed high blood pressure and diabetes . He had lost all sources of income.

Post Independence , Master Prithvi Nath spurned many offers of President ships or Secretary ships . He remained just an ordinary " Member " of the Congress.Even during his heydays as a Great Revolutionary Master Ji avoided personal publicity or lime light for self. He had identified solely and wholly with the Mission of Freeing India.

Having sacrificed every thing personal but seeing his Beloved country free , Master Ji breathed his last on 28 th December , 1955.